U.S. patent application number 09/754749 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-16 for wireless remote computer interface system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Soneticom, Inc.. Invention is credited to Reynolds, Timothy A..
Application Number | 20020059368 09/754749 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26870922 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020059368 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reynolds, Timothy A. |
May 16, 2002 |
Wireless remote computer interface system
Abstract
To provide remote wireless interface with a computer, a fixed
base station is coupled to output ports of the host computer and
receives computer output signals intended for application to one or
more computer output devices, such as a speaker and video display.
The base station includes a transceiver that transmits wireless
communication signals over a wireless communication link to a
portable input/output unit. The portable input/output unit contains
a set of input/output devices through which a user may interact
with the host computer. It also includes a transceiver which
conducts bidirectional wireless communications with the base
station via the wireless communication link. As a result output
device signals from the computer are transmitted to and drive
output devices of the remote unit. In a complementary manner, input
device signals associated with a user's operation of one or more
input devices of the portable unit are transmitted to the base
station and applied therefrom as inputs to the computer.
Inventors: |
Reynolds, Timothy A.; (Palm
Bay, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTOPHER F. REGAN, ESQUIRE
ALLEN, DYER, DOPPELT, MILBRATH & GILCHRIST, P.A.
P.O. Box 3791
Orlando
FL
32802-3791
US
|
Assignee: |
Soneticom, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
26870922 |
Appl. No.: |
09/754749 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60175151 |
Jan 7, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/203 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/002 20130101;
G08C 2201/50 20130101; G06F 1/16 20130101; G06F 3/0231 20130101;
H04W 88/08 20130101; G06F 3/038 20130101; G06F 1/1601 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/203 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A system for providing remote wireless interface connectivity
with a host computer comprising: a fixed wireless base station
connected to said host computer, and providing a bidirectional
communication interface between a portable wireless remote unit and
said host computer, said wireless base station being interfaced
with input/output ports of said host computer, and being operative
to conduct bidirectional wireless communications with said portable
wireless remote unit via a wireless communication link; a portable
wireless input/output unit that provides user input/output
capability with said computer, said portable wireless remote unit
containing one or more input devices, through which a user remotely
supplies input commands to said host computer, and one or more
output devices, that are driven by output signals sourced by said
host computer, and a transceiver which is operative to conduct
bidirectional wireless communications with said base station via
said wireless communication link.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said base station is
configured to process audio and video signals output by said host
computer into digitally encoded format for transmission as a
composite signal over said wireless communication link, and to
provide to said host computer substitute replications of pointer
and keyboard signals that said host computer would normally receive
from a locally situated pointer device and keyboard, in accordance
with wireless communication signals transmitted from said remote
unit, and which contain information representative of user
manipulations of associated pointer device and keyboard elements
installed in said remote unit.
3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said base station
includes a digital signal processor that is operative to multiplex
encode and compress digitized computer audio and video signals into
a composite data stream for transmission over said wireless
communication channel to said remote unit, and to demodulate,
decode and demultiplex composite encoded pointer/keyboard signals
transmitted over said wireless communication channel from said
remote into pointer and keystroke associated signals for
application to pointer device and keyboard ports of said host
computer.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said remote unit
transceiver includes a receiver that is operative to output a
multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video data signal received from
said base station to an associated remote unit digital signal
processor, wherein said multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video
data signal is demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed into
respective audio and video channels for application to associated
speakers and a display of said remote unit, and to multiplex and
encode digitized pointer and keystroke signals, supplied from a
pointer device and keyboard unit of a remote unit-installed user
interface, for transmission by a transmitter unit over said
wireless communication link to said base station.
5. A system for providing a remote wireless interface with a
computer comprising: a base station coupled to output ports of said
computer and being operative to receive therefrom computer output
signals generated by said computer for application to one or more
computer output devices associated therewith, and to transmit first
wireless communication signals containing output device information
representative of said computer output signals over a wireless
communication link to a remote unit, and being operative to receive
second wireless communication signals from said remote unit
containing input device information representative of computer
input signals to be coupled to input ports of said computer; and a
remote unit containing one or more remote unit output devices
respectively corresponding to said one or more computer output
devices, and being operative to receive said first communication
signals transmitted over said wireless communication link from said
base station and to couple remote unit output device signals to
said one or more remote unit output devices containing said output
device information representative of said computer output signals,
and further containing one or more remote unit input devices,
respectively corresponding to one or more computer input devices,
and being coupled to receive therefrom input device signals
representative of computer input signals to be applied to computer
input ports of said computer, and to transmit said second wireless
communication signals containing input device information
representative of said input device signals over said wireless
communication link to said base station.
6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said one or more computer
output devices and remote unit output devices include audio and
display devices, and said one or more computer input devices and
remote unit input devices include a computer pointing device and a
keyboard.
7. A method of providing remote wireless interface connectivity
with a host computer comprising the steps of: (a) interfacing with
input/output ports of said host computer a fixed base station
transceiver that is operative to conduct bidirectional wireless
communications with a portable wireless input/output unit via a
wireless communication link; (b) providing a portable wireless
input/output unit having user input devices through which a user
remotely may supply input commands to said host computer, and
output devices, that are driven by output signals sourced by said
host computer, and a transceiver which is operative to conduct
bidirectional wireless communications with said base station
transceiver via said wireless communication link; (c) establishing
a wireless communication between said portable wireless
input/output unit and said base station trasceiver; (d) operating
one or more input devices of said portable wireless input/output
unit so as to supply input commands to said host computer by way of
said wireless communication link and said base station transceiver;
and (e) operating one or more output devices of said portable
wireless input/output unit in accordance with audio and/or video
signals output by said host computer and transmitted to said
portable wireless input/output unit over said wireless
communication link from said base station transceiver.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said base station is
configured to process audio and video signals output by said host
computer into digitally encoded format for transmission as a
composite signal over said wireless communication link, and to
provide to said host computer substitute replications of pointer
and keyboard signals that said host computer would normally receive
from a locally situated pointer device and keyboard, in accordance
with wireless communication signals transmitted from said remote
unit, and which contain information representative of user
manipulations of associated pointer device and keyboard elements
installed in said remote unit.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said base station
includes a digital signal processor that is operative to multiplex
encode and compress digitized computer audio and video signals into
a composite data stream for transmission over said wireless
communication channel to said remote unit, and to demodulate,
decode and demultiplex composite encoded pointer/keyboard signals
transmitted over said wireless communication channel from said
remote into pointer and keystroke associated signals for
application to pointer device and keyboard ports of said host
computer.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said remote unit
transceiver includes a receiver that is operative to output a
multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video data signal received from
said base station to an associated remote unit digital signal
processor, wherein said multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video
data signal is demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed into
respective audio and video channels for application to associated
speakers and a display of said remote unit, and to multiplex and
encode digitized pointer and keystroke signals, supplied from a
pointer device and keyboard unit of a remote unit-installed user
interface, for transmission by a transmitter unit over said
wireless communication link to said base station.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of co-pending
U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/175,151, filed
Jan. 7, 2000, entitled: "Wireless Remote Computer Interface
System," by T. Reynolds, assigned to the owner of the present
application and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates in general to communication
systems and components therefor, and is particularly directed to a
reduced complexity and relatively compact arrangement, for
providing robust, wireless remote and portable input/output
interface capability with the full functionality of a computer and
associated peripherals, within a practical wireless environment,
such as an office, small office/home office, industrial facility
and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Although the computer industry has enjoyed substantial
diversification of its products among a wide variety of customers,
including military, industrial, educational, business and household
users, there has been very little development of the configuration
of the personal computer (PC) workstation, the complexity and size
of which may vary over a wide range of variables, including
processing power and speed, mass storage, communication capability,
etc. The user's concern is the ability to interact with the
workstation, typically by means of one or more input devices, such
as a keyboard, pointer (e.g., mouse, joystick), etc, and one or
more real time output devices, such as a monitor and a set of
speakers.
[0004] Even though such input/devices are simply a means to supply
inputs to and receive information from the computer, the fact that
they are part of a stationary workstation cluster (typically
consisting of a computer, monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse, and
one or more optional peripherals, such as a printer, scanner,
wireline or wireless communication devices, etc.), means that the
user must be physically located at the workstation cluster in order
to use it--thereby constraining user mobility and flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, such limitations
of a conventional personal computer workstation are effectively
obviated by means of a new and improved computer interface system,
which is not a computer in and of itself, in the sense of the
computer workstation it interfaces, but provides input/output
capability in the form of a relatively compact and portable
architecture, that provides the user with interactive access to the
computer, and thereby to associated mass storage, high bandwidth
communications, printing, and other capabilities of a workstation,
in an untethered, wireless environment. The invention thus
effectively removes mobility limitations on the user in the context
of accessing all the functionality of the computer and associated
peripherals, by providing the user with robust wireless data
networking connectivity substantially anywhere within a practical
wireless environment, such as an office, small office/home office,
industrial, or outdoor environment.
[0006] For this purpose, the wireless computer interface system of
the present invention comprises two components: 1-- a fixed
wireless base station connected to a host computer; and 2-- a
portable wireless remote platform, that provides user input/output
capability with the computer to which the base station is
connected. Namely, the base station provides a bidirectional
interface between the remote unit and the host computer. It is
interfaced with input/output ports of the computer, and is
operative to conduct wireless communications with the wireless
remote unit via a wireless communication link that employs an
unlicensed portion of the RF spectrum. The remote unit includes one
or more input devices, such as a touchpad pointer device and
keyboard, through which the user remotely supplies input commands
to the computer, as well as one or more output devices, such as a
flat panel display and audio speakers, that are driven by output
signals sourced by the computer.
[0007] In the output direction from the host computer to an output
device of the remote unit, the base station is operative to process
audio and video signals into encoded format for transmission as a
composite data signal over the wireless communication link. In the
input direction to the host computer from an input device on the
remote unit, the base station is directly interfaced with pointer
device and keyboard input ports of the computer. The base station
is operative to provide substitute replications of pointer and
keyboard signals the computer would normally expect to see coming
from a desktop situated pointer device and the keyboard. For this
purpose, the base station is configured to receive and demodulate
wireless communication signals transmitted from the remote unit,
which contain information representative of user manipulations of
associated pointer device and keyboard elements installed in the
remote unit.
[0008] In order to provide bidirectional interface functionality
between the remote unit and the host computer, the base station
includes a set of industry standard PC connection ports that
interface respective audio, video, pointer device and keyboard
signals with associated ports of the host computer. The audio and
video signals are digitized and applied to a digital signal
processor (DSP), which performs all supervisory control and signal
processing functions of the base station. The DSP multiplexes the
audio and video signals into a composite data stream, which is then
encoded and compressed for transmission. The compression scheme may
be selected from a variety of standard encoding applications, such
as motion pictures expert group (MPEG) video encoding, digital
television (DTV) encoding. The encoded composite (audio/video) data
stream is digitally filtered and applied as a modulated baseband
signal to a transmitter, the output of which is coupled to an
antenna for RF transmission to the remote unit.
[0009] In the input direction from the remote unit to the computer,
multiplexed encoded digitized pointer and keyboard data, as
contained in a modulated RF signal received by the base station
antenna and downconverted by a receiver unit are supplied to the
base station DSP. The composite encoded (pointer/keyboard) signals
are demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed by the DSP into pointer
and keystroke associated signals for application to pointer device
and keyboard ports of the host computer.
[0010] The remote unit comprises a pair of receiver and transmitter
units, which respectively employ the same receiver and transmitter
functionality as the receiver and transmitter units of the base
station. In the input direction to the user, the remote unit's
receiver outputs a multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video data
signal to a DSP, which performs all supervisory control and signal
processing functions for the remote unit, including negotiating the
wireless channel to be used for a communication session with the
base station. The composite encoded audio/video signal is
demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed by the DSP into respective
audio and video channels for application to associated speakers and
a display contained in the remote unit.
[0011] In the output direction from the user to the computer, the
remote unit's DSP multiplexes and encodes digitized pointer and
keystroke signals supplied from a pointer device (e.g., touchpad,
pointer stick) and a keyboard unit of the user interface. The
encoded composite (pointer/keystroke) data stream is digitally
filtered and applied as a modulated baseband signal to the
transmitter for transmission over the wireless link to the base
station.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a preferred embodiment
of the wireless computer interface system of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the architecture of a
wireless base station of the wireless computer interface system of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a transmitter unit
employed in the base station and remote unit of the wireless
computer interface system of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates a receiver unit employed
in the base station and remote unit of the wireless computer
interface system of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the architecture of the
remote unit of the wireless computer interface system of FIG. 1;
and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a table of examples of unlicensed wireless
communication protocols that may be employed in the system of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Before describing in detail the new and improved wireless
computer interface system of the present invention, it should be
observed that the invention resides primarily in modular
arrangements of conventional communication circuits and
input/output devices and components therefor. In terms of a
practical implementation that facilitates their manufacture, these
modular arrangements may be readily configured using field
programmable gate array (FPGA) and application specific integrated
circuit (ASIC) chip sets, and commercially available input/output
devices and components. As a consequence, the configurations of
these arrangements and the manner in which they are interfaced with
the input/output ports of a stand alone computer workstation have
been illustrated in readily understandable block diagram format,
which shows only those specific details that are pertinent to the
present invention, so as not to obscure the disclosure with details
that are readily apparent to one skilled in the art having the
benefit of present description.
[0019] A non-limiting, but preferred embodiment of the wireless
computer interface system of the present invention is
diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising a wireless
base station 10 and a (portable) wireless remote input/output unit
20. The base station 10 (to be described in detail below with
reference to FIGS. 2-4), serves as a bidirectional interface
between the remote unit 20 and a host computer 30. As such the base
station is configured to be directly interfaced with input/output
ports of the host computer 30 and may be physically installed at
the workstation containing the host computer. Regardless of its
installed location the base station 10 is operative to conduct
wireless communications with the wireless remote unit 20 via a
wireless communication link 40. The remote unit 20 (to be described
in detail below with reference to FIG. 5), is configured as a
portable input/output device. Via the wireless link 40 with the
base station, the remote unit interfaces input commands to the
computer supplied by one or more input devices as operated by the
user. It also receives output device associated signals from the
computer for conveying information to the user via one or more
output devices contained in the remote unit.
[0020] For this purpose, in the output direction (from the host
computer to an output device), the base station 10 is directly
interfaced with a set of audio and video output ports 31 and 32 of
the host computer 30, by means of associated audio and video links
41 and 42. These links convey supply respective audio and video
output signals from the computer that would normally be applied to
an associated set of speakers and a display monitor (not shown)
installed at the computer workstation. As will be described, the
wireless base station 10 is operative to process these audio and
video signals into encoded format for transmission as a composite
data signal over a wireless communication link 40 to the remote
unit 20.
[0021] In the input direction (to the host computer from an input
device on the remote unit), the base station 10 is directly
interfaced with a set of pointer device (e.g., mouse, stick,
touchpad, and the like) and keyboard input ports 33 and 34 of the
host computer 30, by means of associated mouse and video keyboard
links 43 and 44, over which pointer and keyboard input signals
source from a pointer device and a keyboard (not shown) installed
at the workstation, would normally be applied to the host computer
30. In order to provide substitute replications of pointer and
keyboard signals the host computer 30 would normally expect to see
coming from its associated pointer device and keyboard, the base
station 10 is configured to receive and demodulate wireless
communication signals, that are transmitted over the wireless
communication link 40 from the remote unit 20, and which contain
information representative of user manipulations of associated
pointer device and keyboard elements of a set of input devices
installed on the remote unit 20, as will be described.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 2, the architecture of the wireless
base station 10 is diagrammatically illustrated as comprising a
host computer interface 100, which includes a set of industry
standard PC connection ports 101, 102, 103 and 104, that interface
respective audio, video, pointer device and keyboard signals with
ports 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the host computer 30. As a non-limiting
examples, for the output direction, audio port 101 may comprise an
industry standard one-eighth inch stereo phono jack with a line
level audio output, while video port 102 may comprise an industry
standard HD15 SVGA (1024.times.768.times.256 color MAX) port. For
the input direction, the pointer device port 103 may comprise a
standard PS-2 Mouse Interface, and keyboard port 104 may comprise a
standard PS-2 Keyboard Interface.
[0023] The host computer interface 100 further includes an audio
signal-sampling, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 105, which is
operative to digitize (sample) the audio signals coupled to the
audio port 101 for application over a digital audio link 111 to a
digital signal processor (DSP) 120, which performs all supervisory
control and signal processing functions of the base station.
Likewise, a video signal-sampling ADC 106 is coupled to digitize
the video signals coupled to port 102 for application over a
digital video link 112 to the DSP 120. This and similar digitizing
of intermediate frequency (IF) signals for received RF
transmissions from the remote terminal (to be described) ensures
that all analog signal processing is isolated to the appropriate
interface with the DSP 120, which processes only digitally
formatted signals. The digitally formatted pointer and keyboard
associated signals as recovered by the DSP 120 from a transmission
received from the remote unit are supplied to the host computer
interface 100 by digital links 113 and 114, respectively.
[0024] In the output direction (to the remote unit 20), digitized
audio and video information supplied over links 111 and 112 from
the host computer interface 100 are multiplexed into a composite
data stream and then encoded. In order to provide full fidelity and
resolution of the video signal for display on an associated video
display contained in the remote unit, the video "dot rate" may be
computed using standard display processing practice as follows. Dot
rate=(horizontal resolution).times.(vertical
resolution).times.(refresh rate)/(retrace rate). For a
1024.times.768 pixel screen at 60 Hz (non-interlaced) refresh rate,
and a 0.8 retrace rate, the dot rate is 58.98 MHz. However, if the
color palette provides full (RGB 24-bit) encoding resolution, then
the effective RGB full screen rate is 24 times the clock rate (here
58.98 MHz) or approximately 1.42 Gbps. If the color palette is
limited to only eight bits (256 colors), then the effective RGB
full screen rate is still a very large 472 Mbps. Thus in either
case the video signal must be compressed prior to wireless
transmission.
[0025] The video compression scheme may be selected from a variety
of standard encoding applications, such as motion pictures expert
group (MPEG) video encoding, which is an ISO standard (ISO/IEC
13818-1) and commonly employed by satellite broadcast TV providers,
and digital television (DTV) encoding. The resulting DTV composite
payload consisting of video, audio, control and ancillary channel
data has a composite data rate of 19.28 Mbps, which is well below
the uncompressed eight bit color 1024.times.768 screen rate of 472
Mbps of the present example. Using the eight vestigial sideband
(8-VSB) modulation of the DTV standard, the 19.28 Mbps compressed
video/audio payload may be transmitted over a 6 MHz channel
bandwidth. When using DTV compression, its physical and link layer
protocols may be replaced with those employed for local area
networks (LANs), which are more cost effective and robust in a
multi-user environment.
[0026] The encoded composite (audio/video) data stream is digitally
filtered by a digital baseband shaping filter within the DSP 120
and applied as a modulated baseband signal over a data link 121 to
a transmitter 130 (to be described with reference FIG. 3) of a
remote unit interface (RUI) 150. The transmitter 130 also receives
transmission channel control signals from the DSP 120 over a
channel control link 122. The output of the transmitter 130 is
coupled to an antenna 160 for RF transmission to remote unit
20.
[0027] For the input direction (from the remote unit 20 to the
computer 10), multiplexed encoded digitized pointer and keyboard
data, is received by the antenna 160 and coupled to a receiver unit
140 (shown in FIG. 4, to be described) of the RUI 150, and supplied
to the DSP 120 over a link 123. Receiver channel control signals
are coupled from the DSP 120 to the receiver unit 140 over a
control channel link 124. The composite encoded pointer and
keyboard signal is demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed by the
DSP 120 into pointer and keystroke associated signals over
respective links 113 and 114 to the host computer interface
100.
[0028] The transmitter unit 130 of the RUI 150 is diagrammatically
illustrated in FIG. 3 as comprising a digital-to-analog converter
(DAC) 301, which is coupled to convert the encoded composite
digitized audio/video signals supplied from the DSP 120 over link
121 into analog format for application to an intermediate frequency
(IF) filter 303. The output of IF filter 303 is coupled to a first
input 311 of an up-converting mixer 310. Mixer 310 has a second
input 312 coupled to a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) 320.
The frequency of the NCO 320 is controlled by the DSP 120 via the
transmitter control channel link 122. Mixer 310 outputs an
up-converted radio frequency (RF) output signal to an automatic
gain control (AGC) circuit 315, which is also coupled to receive a
gain adjustment command signal supplied over the transmitter
control channel link 122 from the DSP 120, for adjusting the output
power level of the transmitted signal. The output of the AGC
circuit 315 is coupled to the antenna 160 for wireless transmission
to the remote unit. For the non-limiting example of employing a
communication frequency of 2.4 GHz (the wavelength of which is on
the order of five inches), antenna 160 may be configured as a
quarter-wavelength antenna approximately one and one-quarter inches
in length, providing an efficient antenna without unduly
constraining mechanical design.
[0029] As described briefly above, the wireless communication link
preferably uses an FCC "unlicensed" portion of the communication
spectrum, such as the 2.4 GHz band, employing frequency hopping or
direct sequence spread spectrum modulation formats, or the 5.0 GHz
band utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or
GMSK modulation. As a non-limiting example, the wireless protocol
employed for the wireless communication channel 40 may comprise the
IEEE 802.11 HS (high speed) standard using OFDM supporting data
rates up to 54 Mbps, or the European developed Hyper LAN (aka
Broadband Radio Access Networks or BRAN) standard supporting data
rates of 24 Mbps using GMSK. These and other non-limiting examples
of wireless communication protocols tabulated in FIG. 6 provide for
robust high-speed wireless data networking connectivity in office,
small office/home office, industrial and outdoor environments.
[0030] The receiver unit 140 of the RUI 150 is diagrammatically
illustrated in FIG. 4 as comprising a bandpass filter 401, which is
coupled to filter the output of antenna 160, to improve the
sensitivity and dynamic range of the signal received from the
remote unit 20. The filtered output by the bandpass filter 401 is
coupled to an AGC circuit 403, the output of which is coupled to a
first input 411 of a down-converting IF mixer 410. A second input
412 of the IF mixer 410 is coupled to the output of an NCO 420, the
frequency of which is controlled by the DSP 120 via receiver
control channel link 124. The IF mixer 410 outputs a down-converted
IF signal to an automatic level control circuit 415, which serves
to ensure a uniform signal amplitude for application to an ADC 417.
The ADC 417 outputs a digitized IF signal containing the modulated
pointer/keystroke data to the digital link 123 for application to
the DSP 120.
[0031] FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the architecture of the
remote unit 20 as comprising a receiver unit 510, which employs the
same receiver functionality as the receiver unit 140 of the base
station 10, described above with reference to FIG. 4. Namely, in
the input direction (to the user) the receiver unit 510 is coupled
to the output of an antenna 512, which is configured to detect the
RF transmission (e.g., at 2.4 GHz) from the base station 10, and
outputs a multiplexed encoded digitized audio/video data signal to
a DSP 520 over a received data link 514. As in the base station 10,
the DSP 520 performs all supervisory control and signal processing
functions for the remote unit 20. This includes establishing the
wireless link 40 by negotiating the wireless channel to be used for
a communication session, using standard wireless channel
establishment procedures. Receiver channel control signals are
coupled from the DSP 520 to the receiver unit 510 over a receiver
channel control link 516. The composite encoded audio/video signal
is demodulated, decoded and demultiplexed by the DSP 520 into
respective audio and video channels for application to an output
bus 532 to which respective speaker and display units 535 and 536
of a user interface 530 are coupled. The remote units user
interface 530 may employ the same set of industry standard PC
input/output connection ports employed by the host computer
interface 100 of the wireless base station 10, described above.
[0032] In the output direction (from the user), the DSP 520 is
coupled to multiplex and encode digitized pointer and keystroke
signals supplied from an input bus portion 534 of the user
interface 530 into a composite (pointer/keystroke) data stream.
Input bus portion 534 is coupled to receive respective pointer
movement signals from a pointer device (e.g., touchpad, pointer
stick) 550 and keystroke signals from a keyboard unit 560 of the
user interface 530. The encoded composite (pointer/keystroke) data
stream is digitally filtered by a digital baseband shaping filter
within the DSP 520 and applied as a modulated baseband signal over
a transmission data link 517 to a transmitter 540. Like remote unit
receiver unit 510, which is configured to perform the same
functionality as the receiver 140 in the base station 10, the
remote unit's transmitter 540 employs the same transmitter
functionality as the transmitter 130 in the base station 10. The
transmitter 540 receives transmission channel control signals over
a transmission data link 518. The output of the transmitter 540 is
coupled to the antenna 512 for transmission to the base station
10.
[0033] As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, the
wireless computer input/output interface system of the present
invention effectively obviates user location limitations imposed by
a conventional personal computer workstation, so that the user may
have mobile interactive access with the computer, and its
associated mass storage, high bandwidth communications, printing,
and other capabilities of a workstation or server substantially
anywhere within a practical wireless environment, such as an
office, small office/home office, industrial, or outdoor
environment.
[0034] As a non-limiting example of a `household` setting, the
invention allows a consumer ready access to an office or
den-located computer from a relatively remote location, such as
kitchen, patio, garage, bedroom, etc., thereby facilitating access
to the internet, word processing application, games, etc. In a
mobile environment, such as an automobile, wireless connectivity
with GPS capability allows the mobile computer (CPU) to be
installed in an "out of the way" location in the vehicle. The
invention is thereby capable of providing any of a variety of
computer related functions, such as access to information, real
time tracking, communications, the ability to play games, and
access the internet from inside the vehicle.
[0035] In a business environment, the invention may be used in any
office, where connectivity of a computer connected to a corporate
network, printer and internet access, is required, while also
providing a light weight terminal to view information. Similarly,
the invention may be readily employed in a teaching or training
application, where multiple terminals are used in a read-only
manner, in order to send information to a number of private screens
where overhead displays are in appropriate, such in a judicial,
medical, or military application.
[0036] While I have shown and described an embodiment in accordance
with the present invention, it is to be understood that the same is
not limited thereto but is susceptible to numerous changes and
modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I
therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and
described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and
modifications as are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
art.
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